After GPT-5 backlash, Sam Altman confirms GPT-4o is coming back to ChatGPT — but there’s a catch

OpenAI's much hyped GPT-5 model launched on Thursday but unlike what the ChatGPT maker would have expected its latest and greatest model was met with a lot of scrutiny on social media with longtime users of the chatbot unhappy with the company over removal of older OpenAI models like GPT-4o and GPT-4.1. Notably, after the launch of GPT-5, OpenAI had stopped supporting the older models and GPT-5 had becom the default model for all tasks leading to widespread frustration on social media. 

OpenAI has claimed marked improvements in the performance of ChatGPT with GPT-5 including reasoning, coding, accuracy, multimodal understanding, writing and answering health related questions. However, users on Reddit increasingly complained that the new model has less personality than GPT-4o and is inclined to give shorter answer to queries. 

Many users pointed out how GPT-4o was used as a companion and while GPT-5 may have have an edge in technical tasks it does not have the same kind of responses as the older and popular model. As one Reddit user pointed out, “I know GPT-5 is designed to be stronger for complex reasoning, coding, and professional tasks, but not all of us need a pro coding model. Some of us rely on 4o for creative collaboration, emotional nuance, roleplay, and other long-form, high-context interactions. Those areas feel different enough in GPT-5 that it impacts my ability to work and create the way I’m used to.”

An OpenAI researcher Kristina Kim also admitted during a Reddit AMA session that OpenAI has “made a dedicated effort with gpt-5 to train our model to be more neutral by default”.

During the Reddit AMA Altman wrorte, “ok, we hear you all on 4o; thanks for the time to give us the feedback (and the passion!). we are going to bring it back for plus users, and will watch usage to determine how long to support it.”

Notably, ChatGPT Pro and Team and Enterprise users already currently have an option to get back to older models by turning on the show legacy models banner in the settings.